HRV football stopped at goal line in playoff push

To call the 2001 HRV football season "up and down" would be an understatement. To describe the Eagles' 3-6 record as "disappointing" would also qualify as an understatement.

But to call the players' effort as anything less than heroic would simply be unfair.

Despite getting down double-digits in more than one game, this proud, talented group of gridiron gamers never threw in the towel and managed to cling to their playoff hopes until the final game of the season -- a narrow one-point loss to Reynolds.

"Like most of our other losses, this one could have easily gone the other way," coach Mitch Sanders said after the team absorbed its third loss by three points or less.

"The kids played their tails off, but we've just had trouble getting the little things done to win football games."

HRV rode a series of extreme highs and lows -- both during the season and in individual games -- to finish outside the state playoff picture for the first time in three years. They played every opponent tough and lost only one game decisively -- a 49-38 loss at Centennial on Oct. 11 -- which they made interesting even in defeat. Down 42-16 in the third quarter, the Eagles made a strong push at the end, but Centennial’s high-potency offense was ultimately too much for the Eagles, who were playing without two key defensive players, safety Wes Martens and cornerback Isidro Bello.

The proud HRV squad didn’t allow the score to keep them down, however, and rolled off three fourth-quarter touchdowns to keep the game close.

Offense, especially on the ground, was the key for the Eagles this season. First-team all-conference selection Martens led the way, rushing for 947 yards and 10 touchdowns despite missing two-and-a-half games with an ankle injury.

But just like any quality rushing team, these players all understand that a running back is only as good as his offensive line.

One of the biggest reasons the Eagles' ground game was so successful this season was the play of the enormous and powerful O-line of Tommy Owyen, Miguel Silva, Matt Cody, Zack Lucas, Nate Dethman, Ryan Goe and Justin Jones.

Owyen earned first-team all-conference honors, Silva and Goe second-team honors, and Jones and Lucas honorable mention for their outstanding efforts. And although their names rarely appeared on the stat sheet, each Eagles' runner would be quick to point out the muscle behind their numbers.

Another unheralded player for the Eagles who relied heavily on the burly offensive line this season was quarterback Jarrod Fogle. He was rarely asked to throw the ball in the double-tight, double-wing offensive set, but was steady all season, completing 18 of 55 passes for 288 yards, one TD and four interceptions.

Fogle also ran the ball seven times for 25 yards and provided excellent blocking for his running backs on every possession. He improved throughout the season and developed a physical and mental toughness that will help him guide the Eagles in his senior season.

Although the Eagles were able to move the ball and put points on the board, team defense was often their weakness. The team had a number of quality individual defenders, including one all-conference second-teamer (Krizman) and five honorable mentions — Fox, Bello, Nash, Jones and Maher.

Linebacker Jared Gidley, lineman Danny Phelps and cornerback Cody Cataldo also put together solid years for the Eagles, but team defensive breakdowns and missed assignments often led to big plays that the team had trouble rebounding from -- most notably against Centennial. The big play seemed to be the Eagles' nemesis from the first game of the season against Mountain View to the last game against Reynolds.

Big plays late cost HRV in the 47-44 loss to Mountain View on Aug. 31, the 42-39 loss to Gresham on Oct. 26 and the 30-29 loss to Reynolds on Nov. 2, and almost cost them against Central Catholic on Sept. 21 -- a game the Eagles won 31-29 on a last-second field goal by Jordan Thompson, the team's all-conference kicker.

Had just one of these close decisions gone the other way, HRV would have qualified for state, which demonstrates just how evenly matched the Mt. Hood Conference was this season.

Sanders summed up the season well when he said, "Maybe it just wasn't our time."

He and the returning players hope that the ball bounces the other way in 2002 as HRV looks to get back to the playoffs. Sanders will return a handful of starters next season and has some up-and-coming stars developing on the JV and freshman teams.

Fogle will return at quarterback, while Krizman will be the team’s primary rushing threat. Cody and Owyen are the only two starting O-line players on next season's roster, while Gidley, Phelps, Owyen and Krizman represent the defensive returnees.

The most pressing need for the HRV next season will be to revamp its dominant front line and bolster its secondary so it can remain competitive with strong passing teams such as Centennial, Central Catholic and Sandy.

HRV will need to find someone to fill the role of defensive stopper, held by Nash and Jones this year, who led the team with 86 and 78 tackles, respectively. Freshman standout Bryan Williams may be asked to jump into the fray, while JV stars Jason DeHart, Zach Royall and Noel Thomas will see extended time on the defensive side of the ball.

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Parkdale third graders sing "12 Disaster Days of Christmas"

Welcome to your sing-able Christmas gift list.
What follows is an emergency rendition of “12 Days of Christmas” – for outfitting your home or car in case of snow storm, earthquake, flood or other emergency.
Read it as a simple list, or sing it to the tune of “12 Days” – you know, as in “ … and a partridge in a pear tree…”
Not to make light of it, but the song is a familiar framework for a set of gift ideas that you could consider gathering together, even if the recipient already owns items such as a bunch of coats, tire chains and flashlights. Stores throughout the Gorge are stocked up on all these items. Buying all 12 days might be prohibitive, but here are three ideas for checking any of the dozen off your list (notations follow, 1-12.) The gift items needed to stay warm, dry and safe are also coded to suggest items in your abode (A) in your car (C) or both (B).
12 Gallons of Water (A)
11 Family meals (B)
10 Cans of propane (A)
9 Hygiene bags (B)
8 Packs of batteries (A)
7 Spare coats (B)
6 Bright red flares (C)
5 Cozy blankets (B)
4 Tire chains (C)
3 Flashlights (B)
2 cell phone chargers (B)
1 And a crush-proof first aid kit (B)
Price ranges? Here’s a few quotes for days Three, Two, Four and Nine:
n A family gift of flashlights (three will run $15-30, Hood River Supply, Tum-A-Lum)
n Cell phone chargers (two will run $30-60)
n Tire chains (basic set, $30, Les Schwab, returnable if unused for the winter)
n Family meals ($100 or so should cover the basics for three or four reasonably well-fed days)
n
The home kit should be kept in a handy place near an exit, and remember that water needs to be replenished every few months.
If you have a solid first aid kit already, switch out the gift idea with “and-a-sto-o-u-t- tub-for it-all …”
Otherwise, it’s a case of assembling your home or car kits and making sure all members of the family know what the resources are and how to use them (ie flares and propane).
Emergency situations are at worst life-threatening, at best deeply uncomfortable if you and your family are left without power for an extended period, or traveling and find yourself in a situation where you need to wait out a storm, lengthy traffic delay, or other crisis.
Notes on the 12 gift ideas:
12 – Gallons of water: that’s one per person in a four-member family to last for three days, the recommended minimum to be prepared for utility outages.
11 – Easy-open packaged goods, energy bars, dried food and nuts are good things to include for nutrition. Think of what your family of four needs for three days to stay fortified and hydrated (see number 12). Can-opener also recommended
10 – If you have a propane camping stove, keep extra fuel handy.
9 – Hygiene bags: put packaged moistened towelettes, toilet paper, and plastic ties in large garbage bags (for personal sanitation)
Resource list courtesy of Hood River County Emergency Management, Barbara Ayers, manager/ 541-386-1213.
The county also reminds residents to Get a Kit, Make A Plan to connect your family if separated, and Stay Informed. See www.co.hood-river.or.us to opt-in for citizen alerts. Enlarge